THOOTHUKUDI: A powerful gas cylinder blast at a biogas production plant in Taruvaikulam near Thoothukudi on Wednesday claimed the life of the project director of the plant and injured three workers.
Immediately after the accident, fire and rescue personnel rushed to the spot and recovered the body of Selvaraj and sent it to the Thoothukudi General Hospital, police said.
Also, the three workers identified as Ashok, Antony Sathish and Vijin Raj -- were rushed to a private hospital. The deceased, Selvaraj (39), son of Karuppanan of Thoothukudi, was working as the project director of the plant inaugurated in February.
Police said that Selvaraj along with three workers were filling oxygen with biogas in cylinders on Wednesday evening. After loading the cylinders on a lorry, they tested the gas. As part of the testing the inflammability of the gas mixture, Selvaraj had lit the mouth of a cylinder which caught fire and caused the blast, sources claimed.
In the impact, Selvaraj’s body was strewn into pieces and the three workers sustained injuries and the lorry was also completely damaged in the accident.
At the biogas plant, solid and liquid wastes were collected and processed to produce bio-methane. The bio-methane production process is still under the testing stage and the staff at the plant have been testing the produced biogas. The biogas producing project is executed by Thoothukudi Corporation. Superintendent of Police M Durai, Corporation Commissioner S Madhumathi, Mayor(in-charge) P Xavier and DSP (Armed Reserve) Kandasamy inspected the plant. A case has been registered at the Thalamuthunagar Police station and cops are investigating.